An investigation by the Media Research Center has found that Google’s search results favor Joe Biden’s campaign website over Donald Trump’s, sparking accusations of election interference.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
As the 2024 presidential race intensifies, concerns about the role of technology giants in shaping public opinion and access to information are growing. A recent investigation by the Media Research Center (MRC) claims to have found evidence of bias in Google’s search results, potentially impacting the visibility of presidential candidates’ campaign websites.
The MRC’s research, conducted just days before the highly anticipated presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, revealed significant differences in how Google presents search results for various candidates. When searching for a candidate’s name along with “presidential race 2024,” researchers discovered that President Biden’s campaign website appeared as the top result, while former President Trump’s website was notably absent from the first page of results.
This discrepancy has led to accusations of election interference. MRC President Brent Bozell stated, “Google is blatantly interfering in the 2024 election.” The organization’s findings suggest that the issue extends beyond just these two candidates, with pro-life candidates also receiving less favorable treatment in search rankings.
The study involved two sets of search queries: one focused on individual candidates and the other on party-specific searches. In both cases, researchers noted significant disparities in the ranking of candidates’ websites. For example, a search for “Republican party presidential campaign websites” placed Trump’s campaign site at the 39th position out of 40 results, while a similar search for Democratic candidates prominently featured Biden’s website at the top.
In the digital age, the importance of search result rankings cannot be overstated. Google commands nearly 92 percent of the global search engine market share, and the visibility of information on its platform can significantly influence public perception and access to campaign resources. Research by search engine optimization expert Brian Dean underscores this point, revealing that the top result in Google searches receives 27.6 percent of all clicks, with a dramatic drop-off for lower-ranked results. This data suggests that the positioning of campaign websites in search results could substantially impact a candidate’s online visibility and, potentially, their campaign’s reach.
This is not the first time Google has faced scrutiny over its potential influence on elections. The MRC has documented 41 instances of alleged election interference by Google since 2008, with the frequency and intensity of these occurrences reportedly increasing in recent years. Breitbart News extensively documented Google’s suppression of Breitbart itself in the months leading up to the 2020 election, noting that even searches with the exact headline would not return links to Breitbart News in many cases.
Google has consistently maintained that its search algorithms are designed to provide the most relevant and useful information to users without political bias. However, the opacity of these algorithms and the significant impact they can have on information dissemination continue to raise questions about the responsibility and power of tech companies in democratic processes.
For more information, read the full report at the Media Research Center.
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